


Metal Hands, Patchwork Hearts

by FaultyParagon



Series: Canon-Compliant/Canon-Rooted RWBY Fics [8]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Amputation, Amputee Yang Xiao Long, Angst, Anxiety, Depression, Dysfunctional Family, Family, Family Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Motherhood, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rehabilitation, Sisterhood, Team as Family, Yang Xiao Long Needs a Hug, Yang Xiao Long-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-08
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2020-08-13 05:13:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 19,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20168725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaultyParagon/pseuds/FaultyParagon
Summary: Yang has dreamed all her life of finding her mother, of finding the unconditional love she has always longed for; but when finally given the chance, it is up to her to decide where her home truly lies.This is a look at Yang's under-explored recovery after V3, through to V5.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I find Yang's relationship with authority, and with the women in her life, fascinating.

Yang Xiao Long was a happy girl.

She was bright, energetic. Her friends often laughed at how ridiculous she could get, maintaining her composure in any situation. She knew exactly how to make everyone around her smile (or, at the very least, groan at her puns), and she took on the role of a mood-maker with pride. If she could make the people she loved happy, that was all that ever really mattered.

She was beautiful. She knew that, without a doubt- it wasn't overconfidence or narcissism speaking, either. One look at her lilac eyes, unblemished skin, perfect curves, and- her greatest pride- her breathtaking golden hair, and anyone could become smitten. She knew she had that effect on others. She also knew that she was worth more than any casual suitors could offer her. She wouldn't ever let someone unworthy be by her side.

She was strong. Her father's fists were no match for her sheer power, and whenever they sparred, the pride and joy in his eyes as she bested him again and again over the years filled her with such delight. Her little sister watched her grow with admiration and love and warmth, and her strength was the perfect tool to keep that perfect little girl safe. And, keep Ruby safe, she always would. That was her unconditional promise, the one thing she'd do forever, until the day she couldn't fight anymore.

Life for Yang Xiao Long was wonderful. _She _was wonderful.

Or… at least, she _used _to be.

But now, life was different. As the stump on her arm began to ache once again, left fist clenching into bedsheets as flashes of red sparked behind her eyelids, a searing pain scorching up her nerves where her hand used to be, she wanted to vomit. The tingling sensation in her body wanted her to move her right hand. But there wasn't anything there.

She closed her eyes, sighing as she leaned back against her pillow. Her brain hadn't figured it out yet. Her right arm wasn't magically coming back.

She just… needed some quiet.

"Yang?" a low voice called hesitantly from downstairs.

Her eyelids shot open once more. She stiffened in her bed, a cold sweat breaking out instantaneously over her body. The red sparking in her vision mutated, transforming into a solid form, and she whimpered as burning red hair and crimson, Grimm-like slits through an ivory mask flashed through her mind. Wrapping herself within her blankets, she burrowed her head underneath her covers, shivering, hiding herself away.

It was fruitless, but on the most base level, she couldn't be found. Not again. Her heart hid away.

She heard the door creak open. "Sweetie? How's it going?"

She knew it was her father. It was just Tai, that was it.

Quiet whimpers, the light padding of paws on hardwood. Zwei was with him.

She was safe.

But when she closed her eyes, shutting out the pain and the phantom sensation and the presence of another, Adam Taurus' face refused to leave her mind.

_He had smiled when he cut off her arm._

"Sweetie," she heard Tai whisper sadly. Their corgi whined pathetically from the floor.

She didn't respond. She didn't want them to see her. Not like this.

"I love you, Yang. Let me know if you need anything, okay?" her father murmured. She knew that he meant every word. Still, she couldn't raise her head, couldn't stop the shaking.

It had only been a week since she had awoken after everything had changed. The Fall of Beacon… the breakdown of the CCT… the loss of Vale…

And the crumbling of her team.

She knew it was cruel to him. Her father had already lost too much. In her heart, it destroyed her as she realized why he sounded so broken. He couldn't lose her, too.

She heard Tai bend down, his knees cracking in that way she used to always tease him for- but now, the sharp sounds caused her to freeze. She heard him picking up the items littering the floor before him.

"This… Ruby gave you this, Yang…"

She knew what he was talking about- a little blanket the girl had sewn for her big sister, clumsy and wonderful, from when Ruby was nine.

Yang didn't care. It was on the floor, along with everything else.

Every ounce of _red _in her room had been stripped to the ground. That was the one productive thing she had done that day. She had squeezed her eyes shut and torn every bit of vermillion and blood and fire and _Grimm _to the ground, hiding it all from view. It was just… too much.

One hand fumbled with the sheets. The other… wasn't there anymore. The bandages protecting the stump on her right side constricted her movement. She said nothing.

"Goodnight, Yang. Love you." Another whimper from Zwei. Then, she heard the door click close, and all was still in the lightless room. Yang knew why Tai's voice had been so broken when he collected all of her fears in his hands, taking them away.

She couldn't look at red anymore.

She had yet to look at Ruby, too.

The thought brought a hoarse, choking sob into her throat, and she gagged. Her body automatically wanted to clench her fists, throw the sheets off herself and go out and scream into the world to vent her frustrations. But she didn't. She couldn't. She refused to pull herself out of bed. The red was everywhere, behind her eyelids. She wasn't safe.

That was the thought which broke her, more than anything. She used to be strong, and beautiful, and proud, and _happy. _And, more than anything, she could make sure Ruby was safe, forever and always.

How could she protect her baby sister ever again, if she couldn't even keep herself safe?


	2. Chapter 2

Life just… wasn't the same anymore. Nothing made sense.

Her room was always dark, bare without the evidence of years of love which used to adorn the walls before her fearful rampage.

Her eyes could never quite seem to adjust to the light after having been trapped in there for so long, even when she stepped out of the room.

And when she _did _step out of her dark bedroom, it was instantly so much worse. Her knees knocked together, and everything about her body and self and being just felt… wrong. And it wasn't just with her arm, the stump aching in such a pervasive way that she could never tell if it stemmed from the wound or from the memories, the nightmares, associated with it- no, it was from more than that.

It was the face in the mirror staring back at her, lilac eyes almost grey, lifeless. It was her skin, formerly always so firm and bright and clear, now pale and gaunt, cheeks sinking in more by the day, red pimples poking out angrily under her bangs. It was her hair, her old pride and joy, now constantly tied up and away, limp and greasy, falling out due to stress.

It was how her formerly-built muscles and strong core began to soften, wasting away, curves flattening into planes and angles she hadn't seen for years. And, no matter how much she willed it away, it was the asymmetry of her body, one side no longer matching the other, the remaining arm clumsy as she attempted to brush her teeth in a way that _dear god, let this one day feel normal. _

Brushing her teeth took a little too long for her liking. Showering did, too. Tying up her hair took too much effort, so she washed it as rarely as possible. She had probably broken over half of the mugs in their kitchen while making herself tea whenever she attempted to go downstairs- her left hand just wasn't as steady while pouring from the kettle without the right one to anchor herself.

Life wasn't the same.

The nightmares still haunted her. So, the first skill she did eventually master was changing her bedsheets one-handed- waking up to sweat-drenched sheets each morning was the unpleasant side-effect to her suffering. Her next skill was laundry. The next, folding clothes neatly, avoiding leaving wrinkles. The tasks were monotonous, but at least standing up to change them gave her a reason to get out of bed.

And every time she would putter down the hall with an armful of blankets, she'd see Tai standing at the end of the hallway, watching her with a weary smile. Over time, she even stopped jumping when she saw him. When he suddenly spoke up out of view, she still started, heart racing in her chest, vision flashing red, the girl taking a moment to ground herself and figure out what was really happening. But she eventually learned to simply pause when she heard her father's footsteps coming up the stairs, and in turn, Tai learned to stop calling out to her, only speaking once she had seen him.

He continued to try and make her smile again. She appreciated it. There was no laughter, though.

Ruby kept trying to come in. She learned, too, over time- she learned where not to step, what not to wear, what not to bring up. She'd come in wearing her inoffensive grey pyjamas, hair pinned out of her face. Sometimes she'd have snacks- finger food, since Yang still wasn't great at using cutlery left-handed, and she didn't need a reminder outside of meals. And she'd finally come to terms with the fact that Yang wouldn't look at her.

How could she, knowing that she'd never be able to protect Ruby ever again?

It was hard sometimes, talking to Ruby. Because unlike only a few weeks prior, Ruby didn't have any inane things to talk about. Ruby wasn't bringing up video games or training or what Zwei did that day.

No, Ruby was bringing up Weiss. "I'm worried about her, Yang. I want to check up on her, but without the CCT-"

"You can't. Deal with it."

Because Weiss had been shipped away with her father back to the high-security prison which was Atlas, and there was no way they'd be able to see her again. Weiss had been taken from them.

If it wasn't Weiss, then Ruby's eyes would mist over. "I miss them," she'd whisper.

What could Yang say? She missed them, too. _Gods, _how she missed them- Pyrrha and Penny…

And then the thought of them would make her cry again, and Ruby would leave.

After the first time she had seen Ruby after the Fall of Beacon, Ruby had never brought up Blake again. That was one solace, at least. Unlike Weiss, who had left her behind against her will, Blake had left of her own accord. Blake had abandoned Team RWBY- abandoned _her. _

She didn't like thinking of Blake. Blake meant _her partner _meant _her best friend _meant _her ally _meant _someone dear _meant _protecting at all costs _meant _Adam. _

She had thought that she'd meant more to Blake. That was why she had leapt into the fray. Blake had mattered to her. Of course she'd protect Blake. She had always assumed that Blake would do the same for her.

Clearly, she had been wrong.

And then, her eyes would dart over to what remained of Ember Celica, sitting despondently on her table, and the world would flash red, and she'd curl in on herself. "Go away, Ruby," she'd whisper through clenched teeth. It was all too much.

"…okay, Yang. I love you."

_I love you too. So, so much. _

But she couldn't say it aloud ever, because saying it… everyone she loved left her, right? And she couldn't risk losing Ruby. She couldn't.

So, she stayed silent, wishing more than anything that she could just _look at her little sister again, _see her face, see the red in her hair and not immediately think of a sadistic smile and a crimson blade.

It hurt Ruby. She knew it. But things weren't the same anymore. She needed more time.

Unfortunately, time didn't heal everything. She let herself continue to waste away, hiding in the darkness.

Three months after the Fall, Jaune and Ren and Nora came to visit Ruby. Yang couldn't look at them, either. Not now.

Not after seeing the way Nora and Ren and Jaune still looked so _together. _Not after seeing how their hearts broke for the millionth time when Ruby mentioned Pyrrha. Not after knowing that their team would always both be more beautifully whole, and more tragically incomplete, than RWBY could ever be.


	3. Chapter 3

She awoke one morning to the sudden crash of porcelain on hardwood, her father's frantic voice screaming, "Ruby! Ruby, where are you?" She sat upright in her bed, watching the blond man streak past her door, terror and fear plaguing every footstep.

She didn't move. Whatever was happening wasn't her business anyways. Instead, she let her eyes drift outside of the window, staring at the dark trees covered in snow. The late wintry season in Patch would be over soon, but until then, the icicles hanging from skeletal branches outside her room were there to stay.

One of the branches shuddered and rustled. Her eyes, weary and red already from lack of sleep after the usual nightmares, landed upon the figure of a black raven. Its crimson eyes seemed to bore into her bedroom, pervasive, knowing.

She shuddered, looking away. And when she turned back, the bird was gone.

However, the longer she sat in her room, the more unsettling the memory of her father's desperate nature that morning grew in the pit of her stomach. She swallowed thickly, trying to locate the source of the issue. After a few minutes of staring at her walls blankly, though, she understood.

Normally, Ruby would've brought her tea by now. And she couldn't hear Ren and Nora and Jaune laughing downstairs, either.

Something was wrong.

The unease in her stomach hardened, solidifying into a terrible mass of stone and steel and fear. Kicking off her bedspread weakly, she stumbled out of her bedroom, rushing downstairs as quickly as her weary legs could take her. "What's going on?" she called, walking down the stairs.

The first thing she saw was that the area at the foot of the stairs, where Nora, Ren and Jaune had been storing their travelling packs, was completely clear. Their weapons were gone as well. Yang glanced up to across the living room, where Ruby usually kept Crescent Rose. It was gone, too.

And as she turned the corner of the stairs and entered the landing at last, she saw the front door wide open, her father on his knees in the snow, motionless.

"Dad? Dad!" She ran out of the door, falling onto her knees next to him. Bringing her left arm up to his shoulder, she shook him hard, trying to snap him out of it. His skin was icy. Had he been sitting here, shell-shocked, this entire time? The man's eyes were glassy, downcast, staring blankly at the path leading away from the house.

She raised her head. Four sets of footprints, frozen in the stiff, icy snow, trailed away from their cottage.

Yang rose to her feet, shaking her head. "No, no, no," she muttered, stepping backwards into the house once more.

Tai seemed to snap out of it, staggering to his feet. "Yang-"

"No!" Yang screamed, and she rushed back upstairs.

"Yang, wait!" Tai called desperately, but Yang ignored him. She bolted to Ruby's bedroom instead. The crash she had heard that morning belonged to a tray of spilled juice and scattered breakfast foods- the man had likely been bringing Nora and Ruby some food, before bringing some to the boys, when he had dropped it.

There was a note on the bed, addressed to Tai. It was flowery and apologetic, written in barely-legible chicken-scratch, but the message rang clear in Yang's head. It boiled down to two simple thoughts.

_We're going to Haven where we can do some good. We're not needed here. _

And just like that, Yang was abandoned yet again.

She locked herself up in her room, sliding down the door, hearing Tai pound against it on the other side. "Yang, please let me in," he begged. "Please, Yang."

She didn't respond. All she could do was sob into her knees, her world crumbling around her yet again, the stump aching with such blazing heat and passion that she almost threw up, dizzy from it all. Because she had dedicated so much of her life to making sure that Ruby was safe and happy, and that her little sister never went without love.

But now, her sister had left her behind.

Is it because she had been so cold as of late? Because she had refused to speak to Ruby? Surely the younger understood, right? It wasn't as if she wanted to ignore her, she _wanted her sister back, _it's just that everything was _so fucking scary _and she didn't know what to do with all of this helplessness-

But Ruby was gone, without even saying goodbye. Yang wasn't needed to protect her anymore.

That night, Qrow came to visit. She didn't want to speak to her uncle, but the man insisting on coming in, anyways. "Ruby's gone."

From beneath her blankets, she muttered, "Why aren't you following her, then?"

"I will. I'll keep her safe. Don't worry," the man replied smoothly. "I just figured I should tell you something first."

She lowered the top of the blankets slightly, just enough to peer suspiciously at him. "What's that?" she asked, monotone, voice thick and hoarse.

"Your mother. Raven. You're an adult now, Yang. You should know about my sister."

Her heart leapt into her throat. Her entire life, everyone had avoided talking about Raven Branwen. She had never known why- she had wanted to know about her mother _more than anything _as a child, praying every night that the woman would one day come back and hold her in her arms, tell Yang that she wasn't the _mistake _which Yang had always feared had torn Team STRQ apart.

But Qrow's words, quiet and hurried, weren't what she had expected.

Her mother was in charge of the Branwen tribe. A tribe of bandits, outlaws, who looted and raided and pillaged on Anima. "We only went to Beacon so we could learn how to kill Grimm more efficiently," Qrow explained bleakly, taking a seat on the edge of her bed. She shut her eyes. His cloak was _so red._

But his words didn't cease, as he told her exactly how to find the tribe- what trails to follow, who to ask for clues. They were nomadic, their base camp constantly shifting around to avoid suspicion. They were ruthless. Qrow didn't agree with their teachings anymore. Tai outright rejected them. Summer had hated the violence, too. But Yang could find Raven if she wanted, he insisted.

"I wasn't expecting to become invested in protecting the world, or ever finding a place outside of the tribe to belong. And Raven wasn't expecting to find Tai."

"…did she regret having me?"

Qrow didn't answer. Instead, he stood, walked out the door, and spoke quietly to Tai about how he was going to make sure Ruby was safe.

He didn't look back at Yang.

She locked herself up in her room for days after that. She wouldn't let Tai, nor Zwei, come in. Every morning, she heard the man knock on her door, pleading for her to open up, just let him in, this wasn't healthy, she needed to stop this-

But why? Why did she need to stop? There was no point talking to him. He couldn't help. After all, one day, wasn't he going to abandon her too? Just like Qrow, and Raven, and Summer, and Weiss, and Blake… just like Ruby.

No matter how much time passed, the thought of Ruby's betrayal still made her want to vomit.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yang finally begins to heal.

She could only cry for so long.

A week after Ruby disappeared, Yang finally seemed to awaken to the cruel reality of it all for the first time. It was a numb realization, a bitter one, coating her mouth in bile as she finally left her bedroom for the first time in what felt like forever. She walked down the stairs, trembling from lack of nourishment, exhausted from the effort of stepping farther out of her room than the bathroom. But sitting in that small bedroom with its stark white walls had been driving her mad, and she needed to escape.

Her bedroom was completely free of any red. Ruby was gone.

But in her nightmares, Adam Taurus remained, and even in the day, his smile and glowing mask lingered on behind her eyelids. She couldn't escape from it, no matter what. All she had managed to do was drive Ruby away.

What was even the point of it all?

So, Yang left her bedroom. She needed some fresh air, a change of pace- anything. She stumbled down the steps and entered the kitchen hesitantly, hoping to make some tea, to calm herself down.

What she found, seated at the kitchen table in the darkness, was Tai.

Her father's head slowly raised when she turned on the light, squinting dizzily at him. The man had seen better days- his skin was sallow, hair limp and greasy against his forehead. His stubble had grown out into the makings of a new beard, and he was hunched over the dining table, eyes having been locked wearily onto something.

Silently, Yang moved to the side, peering at the object in his hands.

It was Ruby's letter.

"…oh, Dad," she murmured sadly.

Tai's expression melted into relief and gratitude when he saw Yang. "Hey there, sweetheart," he murmured, sitting back in his chair. She could see the mix of emotions on his face, the worry lines etched deep in his skin. He was trying to smile for her. "…you didn't come outside for a few days. I was worried."

"You don't look well," she said, hesitantly approaching him. "Are you okay?"

He shrugged. "I'm holding it together, Yang." _Barely. _The unspoken word hung in the air, heavy, painful.

She nodded towards Ruby's letter, swallowing down the cries of indignation that rose up involuntarily. "Any word?"

His brows drew upward, forming into a frown which seemed far more normal on his face than it used to. "Not yet," he whispered.

The two of them squared off silently for a few minutes, until finally, she whispered, "I miss her."

Tai's eyes grew glassy for a moment. "…I do too, little dragon."

And at the use of her old nickname, Yang's tears swelled and overflowed. _Sunny little dragon. _But she wasn't sunny anymore.

That thought broke her heart. _I'm not your sunny little dragon, am I?_

For the first time since returning to Patch, she didn't hide her tears from her father. Instead, she walked towards him, whispering, "Dad, I miss Ruby," with her arms outstretched.

Immediately, the man held out his arms and drew his daughter into his embrace. He folded her frail, weakened body against his, clutching her head against his chest protectively. But she could feel the sobs wracking his body silently, too, as he whispered back, "It's okay, Yang. We'll be okay. Ruby'll be okay. Shh, it's okay." And his hands stroking her hair felt familiar and foreign all at once, and Yang suddenly realized with a start that she hadn't cried like this in front of her father since she was a little girl.

How long had it been since she had turned to Tai for support?

So she clutched her father tighter, praying that for once, someone in her life wouldn't let her go.

And until she was done crying, he didn't. When she finally managed to calm herself back down, he chuckled, wiping her eyes dry and kissing her hair affectionately. "Whaddya say to some breakfast, hm?" he murmured, fixing her bangs.

She swatted his hand away and fixed them herself. "Food… sounds good." He grinned, rolling his eyes. She stuck his tongue out at her. He flicked her on the forehead, then chided, "Well then, let's get cooking then!"

And just like that, it felt like all of the anxieties surrounding facing her dad again vanished. After that one long, heartfelt cry, her jumpiness around the man seemed to fade. Thanks to that, she began eating downstairs with him and Zwei once more. She started small, but over time, her meals began to grow and grow, and her body began to fill out, regaining some of the weight she had lost in the three hazy months since the Fall. Her hair slowly began to thicken and grow out again, becoming shiny and golden once more, and her face slowly began to lift, brighten, without being haunted all the time.

The nightmares continued, but she finally felt safe enough to open her eyes. Tai was still there.

Tai noticed the change in her, both physically and emotionally, and the amount of joy it brought the man made Yang want to weep. He visibly brightened every time he saw her. Now that she was up and about, he took better care of himself, too. His energy levels shot through the roof anytime she walked down the stairs, and soon, he was reacting to her the way Zwei did anytime the corgi saw her coming to refill his bowl or play with him.

Every single time she saw her father's face just _glow _when she gained a bit of weight or helped with cooking dinner or simply just sat downstairs with him, keeping him and their loveable corgi company, the guilt in Yang's heart grew. What had she put her father through over the past three months, forcing him to watch her waste away?

_I'm… I'm so sorry, Dad. _

So, she put her all into healing from the wounds three months of stagnation brought. She learned to clean. She helped with the chores. She sat with him on the couch and watched old movies, the ones which Ruby never liked because they had too many bad puns, and actually dared to giggle at them, once in a while. She tried her best for him, and she could see that he appreciated it, even if she wasn't perfect at it yet.

Sometimes, the nightmares and triggers would hit her mid-action, and she'd hear a bang and freeze in place, chest gasping for air as she grounded herself again. Sometimes, she'd drop the dustpan and get frustrated when she knocked it over by accident, trying to manoeuvre the broom into the pan with just the one arm. Sometimes, she'd realize just how long she needed to perform the most effortless actions, and she'd scream and yell, the rage at the injustice of the world too much to bear.

But still, she _tried. _

That was why when her father brought home the shiny, new prosthetic arm from Atlas, she tried so hard to smile and thank him. The arm sitting in a box wasn't hers, but he looked _so hopeful, _so ready to see her 'move on'…

But how does one move on after losing a piece of them forever?


	5. Chapter 5

The arm, a gift from General Ironwood, sat in its delivery box upon her nightstand. Each day, she woke up, only to see steel and wiring staring back at her.

She didn’t like touching it. She picked up the metal limb once, just once- and within seconds, she had dropped it again, pushing the box away and curling up in her blankets. It was _so cold. _The metal was so foreign, almost stinging her skin. In her remaining hand, it was heavy, unnatural. And although Tai’s eyes shone with hope when he proudly boasted about how the general had gotten it specially made for her, about how she had worked so hard and how she deserved to be proud of defending Beacon, she couldn’t put the arm on. She just couldn’t.

Because the moment the arm arrived, she realized that there was something even scarier than not having an arm: having an arm that didn’t feel like _hers._

What if she couldn’t fight as well with the metal arm? What if she tried, only to have it fail mid-action? Metal arms and hands couldn’t be as deft as real flesh and blood, right? What if she damaged the arm in combat? Her Aura couldn’t heal it-

_Your Aura wasn’t enough to heal a missing arm._

The gift from Atlas was too different, foreign.

So, she didn’t touch it.

She knew that Tai noticed. How could he not? While she was growing healthier and stronger, being able to help with more chores around the house- hell, she even took Zwei for a walk down to the docks, and the look of pride and joy on his face as he leaned against the door, arms crossed, just _exuding _love and warmth and _home _when she returned to their cottage, would forever be carved into her memory- everything was done with just one arm, when two were available, the second, sitting in its open box in her room.

_What’s even the point of getting a new arm now if it’s not mine? _This _is my life now. _And she’d look at the stump and sigh, carrying on with her day.

Yet, she wasn’t carrying on- not really. Every day, she checked the mailbox. It was the only reliable source of news from the outside world, and yet, nothing was coming for her. Ruby didn’t send anything. Neither did Qrow, nor Weiss, nor… nor anyone else.

And yes, Tai was there- and more often than not, she’d go up to him wordlessly throughout the day as he gardened and swept and did laundry, and she’d hold out her arm. Without fail, Tai was always there to drop what he was doing in favour of just holding her, making her feel safe for the first time in forever. But no matter how much she clung to the haven which was her father, the blond always happy to chuckle and pat her on the head and get her to help him with whatever chores he was doing, it didn’t feel the same as having her team with her.

_…I wonder if Mom knows. _

In the wake of her sister, Yang found her thoughts drifting more and more often towards Raven Branwen, the woman whom she had seen on the train in Mountain Glenn. Did she really lead a tribe of bandits? Was she really such an awful person that Tai had to _hide _Yang from her?

There were too many things she wanted to ask, but she couldn’t bring herself to bring up the woman to Tai. He had spent so long wilting as he watched her suffer, and she didn’t want to give him another reason to kneel in the snow like after Ruby left, broken and anguished, ever again.

If Raven knew that she had lost her arm, that she had lost her _heart, _would she come home for Yang? Would she hold her, make her feel like she belonged for once?

…The nightmares continued.

And as Adam Taurus, with his blade and mask and jacket accented with _so much red _that she wanted to break, approached her in her dreams, a taunting, sickeningly confident smile on his lips, she could only ask herself one question:

Even with a metal arm, could she even remotely have a chance of beating him?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so exhausted, y'all. Hence why I didn't post this last night- I fell asleep halfway through writing it. Alas.

In hindsight, the thought of Qrow- old Uncle Qrow, the most successful ladykiller she'd ever met- prancing around in a _skirt _of all things was the funniest thing she'd imagined in a long, _long _time. Although her heart still stung anytime she thought of him, because _Uncle Qrow _meant _Ruby _and her little baby sister Ruby was still far away without her big sis and Yang _hated it_, she had to admit that it was such a _Qrow _thing to do.

She laughed aloud, despite covering her mouth, muffling the noise from the corner of the kitchen. The sound was odd, voice hoarse, so unused to exercising her diaphragm after so long. Her entire body shifted, the air which had settled so heavily over her shoulders for months finally lightening.

It still felt good though. The wounds which had stagnated for so long, that had been reopened and deepened over and over and over again ever since she was a little girl, was finally coming together. It wasn't a big change, but even just a little laughter made a difference. And yet, what made her even happier was the look of ease and contentment that spread across Professor- _no, Oobleck and Port, they're… just Huntsmen now, huh?- _across _their _faces.

It had been too long. And to feel this way after yet another nightmare, after waking up in a cold sweat, Adam's face still painted behind her eyelids, made that lighthearted exchange even more valuable. His laugh was sickening. Even at the thought of his blade, glowing and ominous and so red, her arms almost pulsed.

But she was here. She was laughing. And her teachers, these mentors whom she had looked up to and laughed with once upon a time in Beacon (or laughed at, in their cases specifically- Port really needed to stop winking at her, and Oobleck really needed to slow down on the caffeine) were laughing too. And it felt good.

After seeing her body, however- thinner than they remembered, no doubt, pale and gaunt and ragged- their faces fell. "Ms. Xiao Long, please, join us," they insisted, pulling out a chair for her.

She paused. How long had it been since she'd been next to these men?

Glancing at each of them, her heartrate rose further, the laughter dimming slightly. Port's thin eyes were creased, his bushy brow furrowed, mustache pulled downward with fatigue and worry, his frown looking so unnatural on his normally-jovial face. His usually proud chest, puffed out like a haughty grandfather, was now slumped over. Even Oobleck, usually so confident and headstrong in his energetic eccentricity, had his light muted- his eyes betrayed such concern. It was foreign on his expression. Even when she had been speaking to him in Mountain Glenn, his excitement had outweighed any sense of trepidation he could've shown. Now, however, he looked so vulnerable, so… normal.

So, she skirted around them. The offer to join them at the table was kind, but with her father in the room, it felt more like a parent-teacher conference at Signal. So, she approached Tai instead.

There was an odd look on her father's face. She didn't know what to say- should she bring it up? The set to his jaw, the purse of his lips… it all betrayed a sense of confusion, of discomfort.

The glint of surprise was obvious, though. Ever since Qrow had left, she hadn't interacted with anyone other than him.

Still, Tai was _home. _She popped herself up onto the counter next to him, settling back, letting her legs hang off of the ledge.

So, the group began to speak.

It was the first time she'd spoken to anyone other than family since the Fall, other than Jaune and Nora and Ren. They didn't count, though. She'd barely said a word to them.

Her heart sank in her chest. _…I barely said a word to them._

Maybe that realization was why her father's words shook her so much. She was _right there, _dammit! She could talk for herself.

…but could she? _If they had come earlier… if Glynda, or General Ironwood had actually come here a few weeks ago… what would I have looked like to them?_

The mere thought flooded her to the core with shame. It wasn't necessary for her to chastise herself like that- in the bottom of her heart, she knew that there was no dishonour in realizing that she had suffered and that her grieving was okay- but the shame was still cloying.

But Tai loved her, and the smiles on Oobleck and Port's faces warmed so much in their fondness towards her that it made her melt. They cared.

As they spoke, however, it grew clearer. They didn't understand _why _she had grown stagnant, not really. They wanted the best for her, it was obvious- but they didn't know what it was like to feel incomplete. They wanted her to be the same girl who had been in Beacon, playing with her friends and fighting hard and getting passable grades with a brilliant smile. They wanted her to be 'normal' again.

"This _is _normal now." And she meant it.

She was scared. That arm sitting in its box _wasn't hers, _no matter what they said. And Adam's blade was still too sharp, too strong, even in her memories. Just picking up a metal arm wouldn't be enough to change that fact.

When she finally excused herself, their smiles were kind, but the worry was back in their eyes. Only one question remained in her mind: _Is this how everyone is going to treat me from now on?_

_God, _how she wished she could give them what they wanted. She couldn't, though- not until Ruby was home, and Qrow was laughing as he came to visit. Not while their friends were dead and grieving and broken, and not while her team was still _gone. _

And not while Yang still felt _so damn alone. _

She watched Tai say goodbye to the other two Huntsmen. They cared about her, their tones hushed as they spoke.

She could hear their words. "…any word from Miss Rose?" Port murmured.

Yang shivered. _Not yet. Where are you, Ruby?_

Her father replied, "Not yet."

_I miss you._

Oobleck offered, "Have you thought about going after her? Trying to bring her home?"

She froze. _Wait- Qrow said he'd look after Ruby, but… is Dad not going after her because of…?_

Tai sighed. "I've got to... look after some things."

_…we need to search for her, don't we?_

Because they hadn't heard from Ruby yet- nor Jaune, nor Nora nor Ren. Nor Qrow.

_Is it all my fault again?_

She wanted to say no, she really, truly wanted to.

_Is it because he thinks I'll break on my own?_

She couldn't deny the possibility. Without her father, she _would've _stayed completely broken. Tai's presence, at least, helped her pick up the pieces.

_…is it because he thinks _I'll _disappear, too? Like Mom?_

That thought chilled her to the bone. What was her father scared of?

…she didn't know. She didn't want to know.

The look of frustration and cold resignation on Tai's face still felt like a slap in the face as he turned up to look at her window, from where she watched their exchange. She leapt back, closing the window, crawling into bed once more. She didn't want to look at him anymore.

As her thoughts swirled around in her mind, the kindness which had been in Port and Oobleck's words and demeanors didn't change the fact that as she slept, Adam once again appeared in her mind. This time, however, as she watched Adam pull out his sword, there was a silhouette reflected in his blade: a short dress, black feathers trailing down her back, cascading hair over her shoulders, and eyes that were far too red for her to handle.

And before she woke up the next morning, that silhouette walked away from her yet again.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while, but here's the next chapter. Let me know what you think in the comments!

_This isn’t real. _

It was a numb realization- one that crept in slowly as she took in her surroundings, the thought pervasive in how it discoloured the image in front of her. Yet, she had no choice but to step forward.

The air was sweet.

Yang searched through her memory, triggering recognition of brown sugar and chocolate and vanilla, buttery and rich. Her brain fired away at the familiarity, the smell only described in one sole word: nostalgia.

She knew this smell. Patch hadn’t smelled like this for a long, long time.

It had gotten close- always so, so close- but had never truly become like _this._ God, how she had tried to bring that scent back so many times, but between her and Tai and Ruby and Qrow, there had always been too many undercurrents of burnt flour and sugar, an imbalance of vanilla to chocolate. There had always been something _wrong._

But this? This was the _right _scent. Only one person could ever make it like this.

_This isn’t real._

She crept forward, tiptoeing through familiar laminate halls. The flooring under her feet was cold, but her body wasn’t chilly. She glanced down. Draped around her shoulders was a little yellow blanket. It trailed on the floor behind her. She drew it closer around her form, curling in on herself before proceeding forward.

Upon entering the kitchen, an ethereal, warm haze seemed to emanate from the kitchen window. The truth was clear. This couldn’t be _her _Patch. After all, how long had it been since the kitchen seemed to glow like this, even though all of the lights were turned off?

She wasn’t alone in the kitchen. A silhouette blocked the light for one moment, and Yang’s heat skipped a beat as she saw the angelic outline shine, stepping towards her carefully. She knew this figure- soft and short, dainty yet strong, with a flowery apron covering her front. In the figure’s hands was the source of the delicious smell, a tray of freshly-baked cookies so tantalizing that Yang’s mouth immediately watered.

“…Mom?”

And Summer Rose turned around to face her, so open and carefree, her heart full of quiet love and tenderness. “Hey, Sunny,” she murmured, putting down the tray and kneeling in front of Yang. With gentle fingers, she adjusted the blanket around Yang’s shoulders, drawing it closer, warmer, to the girl.

And even though this woman wasn’t her real mother, Yang understood in that moment that Summer would do _anything _to keep her safe and sound- that she was a mother in all ways but blood. That love had been _real._

Yang opened her eyes.

Her bedroom was dark. She could feel the night’s chill upon her cheeks, wet with tears, her shoulders trembling underneath her blankets. It had been years since she had dreamt of Summer Rose, since she’d heard that nickname from that woman’s lips.

Ruby’s mother had been beautiful in her prime- a different beauty from Raven, but Yang had always loved her graceful kindness more than anything. After all, Raven’s cold, cutting elegance had left Yang behind long before she could’ve gotten to know the woman. But Summer had been different- Summer had held her tight. She had loved her. She was the only true definition of a ‘mother’ Yang could think of.

And she was gone, too.

The tears weren’t only for Summer, though. It was jarring to realize it- maybe it truly had been too long since she’d seen a proper picture of Summer- but Ruby looked exactly like her mother.

Since when had Ruby grown up to be so strong, so beautiful?

_Ruby…_

She still hadn’t heard from her sister.

_Are you doing well? Are you sleeping? Are you doing alright with JNPR? Are you safe?_

Qrow had yet to send back any word.

_Do… do you know how much I love you?_

She didn’t know the answer.

But now that she thought about it, Summer’s white cloak fluttering in the wind… it really did look exactly like Ruby’s cloak.

Just… not red.

She blinked. In her mind’s eye, she could see Ruby’s smile- so much like her mother, with a face that Yang loved more than anything. But Ruby’s image was always framed in red.

And for the first time in months… she didn’t feel scared thinking of that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glint of metal. It was the prosthetic. She rolled onto her side, reaching out her left arm. Her fingertips trailed along cold metal, tracing titanium with slow, smooth movements. Maybe this arm really could be hers.

She recoiled. Adam’s face flashed into her mind, his sick, leering grin and crimson mask glowing in the wisps of recurring nightmares haunting her into the daylight. She couldn’t use this arm. She couldn’t.

But… she couldn’t see Summer anymore, and she didn’t know if she’d ever see Raven, and Blake and Weiss and _everyone else _was gone.

_I want to see my sister._

…It was time.

It took an hour to get herself ready that day. Her hair needed to be washed, and she had a few chores around the house she wanted to do before she could get on with her true mission. Doing up all of the proper clips and ties and joints, along with the initial jolt of searing pain as nerve endings were reconnected and the phantom pains suddenly weren’t such _phantoms _anymore, took even more time on top of that. So, when she finally stepped out of the house, the sunlight was so bright that it _burned, _and she couldn’t help but wince and block the light from her eyes with her fingers.

But she used the metal hand.

_Her _metal hand.

It moved seamlessly with her will, without any feedback or interference. Her fingers flexed and bent perfectly, and when she formed a tight fist, she _felt _it. Not the sensation of touch, of course- but the grip and the pressure and the _strength _for which she had been longing for _months _was _back. _

And then, she clenched her other hand.

It barely formed into a fist.

Her eyes widened, taking in the sight of bony, feeble fingers. Months of stillness had atrophied her body, and even though she had begun to regain some of her limberness thanks to her newfound mobility around the house, she was nowhere near where she had been before the springtime.

She tried to clench her real fist again, summoning as much power and strength as she could. It was pathetic.

Her heart plummeted to the grass beneath her feet. _What was I thinking?! Even with this arm, I’ll never be able to help anyone! Ruby, I-_

Then, she heard the rustle of cloth, the clinking of a metal watering tin. Glancing over, she saw her father. As his eyes shifted from her face to the Atlesian prosthetic arm, Yang felt her own eyes fill with tears. She had to choke back a sob as his eyes widened for just a second, shock and wonder and disbelief and such unabashed _pride _filling his features before he settled down, back into knowing, contained excitement.

He was proud. He was there. He loved her.

“Okay,” he breathed. “Let’s get started.”

Ruby and Summer and Raven and everyone… they weren’t. But Tai was there.

And she was finally ready for him.


	8. Chapter 8

Training hurt.

Every single day, she dragged herself out of bed. She crawled downstairs, drank some water, and then stumbled outside as the sun was just about to reach its zenith over the horizon. She squinted, blocked the sun from blinding her too badly, then turned to face her father, the man already awake and waiting for her thanks to needing to take Zwei on early morning walks. She settled down, breathed in deep, and lowered her stance, ready for her father to pummel her as she fought to regain the skill she once touted.

…Training hurt.

And for that, she had never been more thankful.

Every single day, she dragged herself out of bed, both hands pushing away the bedsheets. She yawned, wandering to the bathroom as she redid her ponytail using both hands. The moments were stiff, but she got it done quickly each time, no longer needing the ceremony and preparation of handling her mane of golden hair with just one hand.

Every single day, she walked out of the front door of their little home, shading her eyes with her metal hand. She stretched bionic fingers, feeling shocks run up the back of her neck as the prosthetic recalibrated to her nerve signals. She could hear the whirring of gears and shifts and motors; and while at the start, the sound had unnerved her more than anything… now, she couldn’t imagine closing her eyes and focusing on her heartbeat _without _hearing the sounds of her right arm in the background.

She wasn’t whole. But she sure as hell felt a lot better than before.

So, she settled down, breathed in deep, and lowered her stance, ready for her father to pummel her as she fought to regain the skill she once touted.

Training wasn’t easy, though. No matter how satisfying it was for her to finally be back on the ground running, her body had spent months losing all of its strength. Suddenly facing off against her father every day left her sore and bruised, her Aura barely managing to recover each night.

She regretted pushing herself so hard, every once in a while. Not for her own wellbeing, no- it was just that Tai’s brows always knitted together at the end of their training sessions as he realized just how broken his little girl was, and his hands always shook as he guided her back inside, a false smile plastered onto his face.

_Thank you, Dad._

She didn’t really know how to say it, though. It was a complicated feeling- too knotted and tangled to unravel and name.

So, she just kept fighting.

Over time, the strength came back. Day by day, she felt stronger and stronger, until she was properly able to knock Tai over with the strength of her bionic fist, then her natural one. The satisfaction that coursed through her veins left her feeling heady as Tai smiled at her the day she managed to defeat him properly, her Semblance lighting her eyes red and her Aura flooding her body with strength.

Maybe she would be strong enough to protect Ruby again after all.

And yet, Tai never seemed to be truly happy with her progress. His lack of approval gnawed at her constantly.

Perhaps that was why she felt so off-kilter when he decided to scold her about her Semblance, of all things.

_Why does it matter?_

**“**Because not everyone else's is basically a temper tantrum.”

_A temper tantrum?_

He laughed. She knew it wasn’t directed _at _her, but… still. Did that mean that he had always viewed her strength as the childish whining of a toddler?

…_Is that why I couldn’t defeat Adam? I’m just a child?_

He didn’t see her skepticism. “I'm serious! Once you take damage, you can dish it back twice as hard, but that doesn't make you invincible!”

She twitched. _I know. _

“It's great when you're in a bind, but what happens if you miss?”

_I know._

“What happens if they're stronger? What then?”

She bit her lip, red flashing behind her eyelids, sending a jolt of fear through her spine. _I know-_

His tirade wasn’t over. “Now you're just weak and tired!”

_I **know-**_

**“**You've always been one to burn brighter than everyone else, whether it was with your smile, or, well, I remember your first haircut.” He laughed, the story painting over his irises in nostalgia.

She batted his hands away, steeling herself, forcing the tremors away. She wouldn’t cry. Not now. _I’m not just a child- I was _strong, _wasn’t I? I protected Ruby well, right? I did, right?_

“But you gotta keep your emotions in check. Keep a level head, and think before you act. Your Semblance is a great fallback, but you can't let yourself rely on it. It won't always save you.”

_It won’t always save you._

She looked at her arm. …_I know._

And then, he began to talk about Raven.

It felt so out of the blue. She couldn’t hold back her bitterness as she mumbled, “Well, sorry I remind you of her.”

“Don’t be.” Tai’s voice was soft, his eyes glazing over warmly. Yang felt her tension ease as Tai began to speak of her mother. It was the first time she had ever properly heard him speak of Raven Branwen.

Throughout her life, she had always assumed that he never spoke of her mother out of bitterness. However, as a level-headed analysis of the woman’s assets and flaws spilled from his lips, Yang knew- her father still loved her mother.

_Then why does he still look so heartbroken?_

But even as the words crossed her mind, she knew the answer.

_You can love someone, and still not forgive them for hurting you. _

Her mother had hurt him, after all. Her mother had hurt them all- Tai, and Yang, and Qrow and Summer and everyone else. She had left them all behind.

But Tai still loved Raven.

The thought of her mother send pangs of longing lancing through her heart.

Ruby, Blake and Weiss’ faces flashed into her mind. _They left me behind. And… I still love them._

It was all too confusing. She just wanted to feel strong again.

Later on that day, she managed to truly knock him over without using her Semblance. And finally, Tai looked contented at her performance.

She didn’t know what to say.

Despite all of the worries and fears and theories that raced through her mind, though, she still agreed to join him for dinner. And, for the first time in months, she stayed in the kitchen the entire evening by his side, pushing aside her negative thoughts and fears and confusion in order to just focus on Tai, and his crow’s feet, and his laugh lines, and the sound of his laughter echoing through the kitchen.

The guilt almost forced her pasta back up into her throat throughout the meal. She swallowed it back down, hiding her grimace each time.

Maybe if she focused hard enough, her heart would finally stop longing for Raven. Maybe if she focused hard enough, she’d finally feel like Tai was enough.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter, but one I really wanted to get out there. Taiyang is a wonderful guy.

Adam was back.

His mask gleamed in the firelight, painted sickening golds and oranges amidst the burning classroom. On the floor in front of him lay Blake, her body immobile. And, in his hand, a long dark sword glistened, dripping with her blood.

Yang felt anger and despair rush through her veins, just as heady and gutting as it had been the first time she had seen this scene. Distantly, she knew what the result would be- yet, she still ran forward, swinging her right fist towards the man. She channelled all of her strength and will to strike him down, praying he’d succumb.

The red lights shining behind his mask brightened for a moment, and then, indescribable pain shot up her arm and down her spine, stunning her.

_I can’t win. _

And yet, unlike every single other time she had ever relived the moment of her injury in her nightmares… she didn’t crumble at his feet. Instead, she remained standing, curses spilling from her lips, hatred pouring from her own red eyes as she glared at him.

Her right arm was metal.

The sight of her new limb, reflecting light off its polished form, made Adam pause. Her heart leapt into her throat; this was all so new, so different. He never reacted to her like this. And yet, the same sadistic smile from before reappeared upon his lips, fangs bared. Quickly, she stood between him and Blake, ready to defend her. She settled into a low stance, fists clenched, breathing in deeply.

_I can’t use my Semblance. _Willing her fire away, she felt her skin cool, her body relaxing as her Aura retreated back into her core, her eyes shifting from red to lilac. _I’ve got to fight without it._

If she had learned anything from her father over the last few days, it was that she needed to get used to fighting without her Semblance, after all.

Despite her cool nature, however, Adam’s cruel grin only widened. Yang twitched when she noticed his stance shift- just the slightest movement of his toe, but still- and she hunkered down even further, ready to defend.

And then, Adam leapt forward- away from Yang and Blake.

“Wha-?” she cried, turning to the doorway. But, it was too late.

Ruby’s eyes, silver and wide and precious, were focused on the sight of cold, dark steel protruding from her belly. Her red Aura rushed to heal the wounds, but the blade was only wedged and twisted further through her tiny form, eliciting the faintest squeak from her.

“Ruby?” Yang breathed, blood draining away from her body. She couldn’t move.

_No, no, no, Ruby, oh please no-_

Adam withdrew his blade from Ruby’s gut, remorselessly allowing her to fall onto the ground with a thud.

** _No! _ **

Yang shot upright in her bed, a scream ripping past her throat, eyes wide and frantically blinking to adjust to the darkness, fingers scrabbling for purchase against her smooth duvet. “Ruby, Ruby no- I’m coming, just-“

Before she could complete her cry, however, her bedroom door shot open, slamming against the wall with a bang. Tai rushed in, his pyjamas rumpled and hair askew as he took stock of the situation, face fearful and murderous, fists raised to fight. As he assessed the situation, however, his expression relaxed, replaced by overwhelming concern and warmth for the girl. “Yang… Yang, it’s alright,” he croaked, running shaky hands through tousled hair. He staggered over to the bed, sitting on the edge, reaching out to cup Yang’s face with a calloused touch. “You’re okay. I’ve got you, little dragon.”

_I’m okay._

And his voice was gentle and his caress tender, his eyes radiating with love despite the room being blanketed in near-darkness aside from the light spilling in from the hallway, and Yang _broke. _

She threw her arms around his neck, unable to quell what her nightmares had forced her to witness, much to his surprise. “Dad, I saw-“

Immediately, Tai relaxed, wrapping his arms around his daughter’s form, holding her tight. She felt his hand stroke her hair as she buried her face against his neck, weeping. “Honey, whatever it was, it was just a dream,” he soothed. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

_I’ve got you. _

That simple statement, so honest and open, elicited a new wave of tears from her. _Who’s got Ruby, then? _

And what good had she done in her past life to deserve someone like Tai?

“Dad, I saw him- he hurt _Ruby-“_

“Ruby’s with your uncle-“ he attempted, but she cut him off.

“But neither of them have called!”

“You know they can’t with the CCTS down-“

“No letters!”

“I’m sure they’re fine-“

“No, Dad!” Yang pulled away from him, collapsing back against the headboard. “No.”

Tai paused, biting back his words as Yang sighed, deflating against her pillows, exhaustion overtaking her. Her tears left cold trails down her cheeks, and she shuddered and sniffled, but felt too weary to wipe them away. _You can’t guarantee that. Blake and I got away. What if he’s out there hunting Ruby, too?_

Tai noticed. He reached over, plucking a tissue from the nightstand before wiping away the tears on Yang’s face. “I know, Yang,” he murmured at last. “I know. I want them to come home, too.”

“But what if they don’t?” Yang whispered.

“…We have to keep up hope.”

“What is hope good for if someone hurts her anyways?”

“We can’t think like that. We have to believe that she’ll come home.”

She whimpered. “But what if she doesn’t? What do I do if she doesn’t?”

Tai sighed, shoulders hunching over as he searched for the right words. “That’s… I don’t know the answer to that, Yang. I don’t think anyone has the answer to that sort of question.”

She let out a long, heavy breath, shuddering. The image of Ruby’s terrified, shocked face was imprinted against the back of her eyelids, so she focused on the ceiling instead, tracing the knots in the plaster. “But what’s _your_ answer, Dad?”

Tai lifted his eyes, and in the scant light from the hallway, Yang could see how they shone with unshed tears. “I _have_ to believe,” he replied simply. “I’ll always be here, Yang. This is home. And I’ll always be here, waiting, for when you girls come back.”

She melted, tears welling up in her eyes unbidden once more. “Dad-“

“I’ll always welcome you home.”

The next morning, Yang awoke with bleary, puffy eyes, her cheek pressed against her father’s shoulder as they both leaned against the headboard, sitting upright on her bed. Zwei sat in his lap, contented, having crawled onto the bed sometime during the night. One arm was wrapped around her shoulder protectively, with the other one lying limply by his side, palm turned upwards, fingers curled.

Tai’s brow twitched, and his lips formed silent words. Shifting, Yang leaned back to read them, squinting in the darkness of the morning. She was only able to pick out one true word: _Raven._

Her heart dropped. She had been right- her father’s wounds left from her mother’s abandonment still ached.

Yang knew instinctively that Ruby belonged there on Tai’s other side. Yang needed her little sister by her side, yes- but more importantly, her father needed his youngest daughter back, safe and sound. He needed what little family he had left to be whole again.

And by the gods, she was going to make it so.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are going to ramp up fast. Get ready, y’all. We’re well over the halfway point now.

“Tell me about mom.”

Tai’s movements above the sink still for just a moment before he resumed scrubbing his coffee cup. “What do you want to know, Yang?” His voice was resigned, weary.

She wordlessly took the cup from him as he rinsed it, towel-drying it for him and placing it in the dishrack.

It had been a few days since his initial admission of her resemblance to Raven. She had let the wounds lie for a while, but now, she needed to know what to expect. As he moved onto the next dish in the sink, she added, “Just how strong is she?”

Tai snorted. “Y’know, as much as I hate to admit it… I don’t think I ever beat her in a fight.”

Yang raised her brows, impressed. “No wonder it’s so easy for me to destroy you, too, then,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

The man rolled his eyes, but Yang could see the grin which grew upon his lips despite his attempts to remain somber. “Watch it, young lady,” he chided, handing her a plate.

She dried it absentmindedly. “Well, what strategies does she use normally?”

He sighed, leaning against the countertop. “Yang, how many years has it been since I saw her fight?” he cried. “Do you think I-“

“You’re not a combat instructor at Signal for nothing, Dad,” Yang mused. “C’mon.”

“Why do you want to know? You’re not planning to fight her, are you?”

She shook her head. _I’m not _planning _to._

Despite his discomfort, and with a hint of unease in his voice, Tai answered her question. And then, her next. And her next. And as he scrubbed all the dishes in the sink, rinsing them and handing them off to Yang for her to dry, he answered all of the little questions which Yang had wanted to know all her life. What was Raven like? What had she been like in school? What was it like being on a team with her? Had Team STRQ really been that good? What did she do for fun? What made her happy?

Had he expected her to leave?

He sucked his breath in sharply. “…No.”

She paused. That was the first question to which he had hesitated noticeably after the first. “But… based on the way you’re describing her-“

“Hindsight is an impressive lens, Yang,” Tai sighed, handing her a cutting board to slot in the side of the dishrack. “Hindsight is powerful. At the time, I didn’t know. I thought she’d… stay. Always.”

“Why were you so sure?”

And he turned, flicking little soap bubbles into her face. She reeled back from the surprise attack, chuckling despite herself- yet, she didn’t miss the flash of longing that lit up his eyes brokenly for just a moment. “Because of _you._”

She froze, the implication hanging over her heavy in its weight. _…But I wasn’t enough to convince her to stay. _

Tai sighed, scratching his nose against the back of his hand to avoid getting soap on his face. “I suppose… it could have been worse, though.”

She sputtered as he handed her a dripping ladle. “How could it have possibly been worse?” she cried, incredulous.

And then, Tai turned to her again, but this time, his face was _glowing. _“She could have somehow convinced Qrow, or even Summer, to go, too. Or… she could’ve taken you with her,” he admitted quietly. “…You have no idea how grateful I am that she didn’t. Watching you and Ruby grown up has,” and he chuckled ruefully, pride emanating from every pore, “made my life better in every way.” Flicking more bubbles at her, he added, “Even _if _you break all my good china.”

Yang reeled back from that comment, brushing the bubbles off her cheek awkwardly. How could she possibly respond?

For a few minutes, the only sounds that filled the kitchen came from the running tap, the squeaking of the sponge against glass and porcelain and stainless steel, and the sound of clinking as Yang put everything away on the rack.

Finally, she probed, “What’s her Semblance like?”

The blond man groaned, his pleasant smile twisting to a sour frown. “It’s… not combat-related, if that’s what you’re wondering,” he said through gritted teeth.

She narrowed her eyes at the sudden change in tone. Carefully, she pushed, “Then… what is it?”

The man handed her the last plate to dry, moving onto the small pile of forks at the bottom of the sink. “It’s ironic, honestly,” he muttered, suddenly exhausted. “She can make these- these portals, from anywhere in the world. She can use them anytime she wants to cross any distance. The end destination, though, is always a specific person- never a place.”

The faint image of a red and black swirling vortex resurfaced in her memory, triggered by his words. “Who?” she insisted.

He shrugged. “Anyone who she’s bonded with,” he explained simply. “She’ll appear wherever they are. When she was still around, that number was painfully small- me, you, and Qrow.” Handing her a fork to dry, he smiled wanly. “She clearly doesn’t use it very often.”

_And knowing her, that number has probably not increased._ “I think I saw it, you know. The portal. Back on the train in Mountain Glenn, during the Breach of Vale.”

Tai groaned, shaking his head bitterly. “Of course she showed up only to say nothing. As always.”

“If she’s really tied to me and you and Uncle Qrow… Does she know about my arm?”

The fork in Tai’s hand clattered to the bottom of the sink, echoing through the suddenly deathly-silent room.

Yang didn’t break that silence. She simply paused in her drying, praising herself for managing to keep her tone consistent as she asked that question which had been bothering her ever since her injury.

After taking two whole minutes to calm himself down, Tai murmured, “…I wouldn’t be surprised if she did.”

“Was it Qrow who told her?”

He grimaced. “Maybe.” But then, the dishes were done. As they both washed and dried their hands, Tai stretched, then gestured towards the door with his thumb. “You ready for more training, Yang?”

She nodded, mutely jogging towards the front door. She had been making huge strides in her training, without even using her Semblance, over the past few days since that conversation. She was ready to keep going- she needed to get to Ruby, and soon. Her motorcycle could only carry her so far, so quickly, after all.

Before she ducked out of the front door, however, she turned to look back over her shoulder. Tai was doing some quick stretches in the kitchen, but paused when he saw her clumsy stare. “What is it?” he asked.

_Say it._

She shook her head, then took a deep breath.

“I’m glad, too.”

He cocked his head. “For what?”

“That Mom left me here, with you.” She smiled wholeheartedly, earnestly. “I’m glad you’re the one who’s with me, Dad.” And with that, she stepped into their front yard, squinting as the sun blinded her just like always.

She didn’t say anything when Tai came out fifteen minutes later, his eyes puffy and nose red and grin goofy. Her heart simply basked in it, in knowing that for once, her father’s tears over her hadn’t been shed in sorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think in the comments!


	11. Chapter 11

It took quite a while, but finally, Yang felt strong again.

Looking in the mirror, her body looked just as, if not stronger, than she had been at Beacon. _I guess keeping a strict diet helped speed things along. Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten so much cereal and pancakes at Beacon…_

But the thought was a silly, idle one, immediately replaced by pride every time she saw the silhouette of her prosthetic in the mirror. She was lean, fit, and healthy again. She was strong, even if she had barely been pieced together again.

She had made it through.

And she was going to find her sister soon.

It wasn’t perfect, she knew- the healing wouldn’t be complete for a long, long time. Flashes of Adam’s silhouette still haunted her nightly, and the mere sight of the picture of Team RWBY on their mantelpiece was still enough to make her knees weak with regret and frustration and betrayal. Loud sounds still startled her, her hand still didn’t feel completely natural, and red still made her twitch on occasion.

But she was better than she had been after the Fall, and that meant more than anything to her.

She didn’t tell Tai, though. How could she break it to him that she was leaving soon, too? Every time they sparred these days, she won, and he’d continue to chastise her and be nitpicky. She knew that his words weren’t true, and that she had long surpassed her original skill- and yet, he carried on and on in his feedback. Nothing was ever perfect enough for him, apparently.

It was clear that he knew she was leaving, too. The moment he gave her his proper seal of approval, she’d be off searching for Ruby. They both knew it. He didn’t want to let her go just yet.

He was scared, too.

_But I’m doing it to make sure she comes home to us, to you-_

But she never voiced it.

She didn’t need his approval in the end, though. One bright day, Peter Port and Bartholomew Oobleck dropped by once again, weary and worn in their travels and combat. Tai ushered them in, seating them all back around the dining table to share their updates. They brought news of Vale’s rebuilding, the plans for Beacon students for the coming term, and all of the other details they could think of. They relayed how all of her old professors were doing, and even updated her on the whereabouts of old friends.

All of their excited chatter fell away, however, when she shrugged off her jacket and they saw her arm.

“…You’ve finally been working on using it?” Oobleck asked tentatively.

She nodded, holding out a clenched fist for them to see. “I’m able to beat Dad pretty consistently, too.”

And the look of sheer pride that the two Huntsmen traded at that comment warmed her from head to toe.

“We’re so glad to hear it, Yang,” Port beamed. “So, so proud.”

“Now, now,” Tai chided, setting mugs of tea in front of everyone, “don’t let her get a big head. She’s still got some things to clean up.”

Yang chuckled, but didn’t fight back. She knew his game. There was no point breaking the illusion for him.

The other Huntsmen, however, were _not _aware. “In that case, I’d love to test your skills, Yang- as an old professor to former student,” Port grinned, standing up. “May I have the honour?”

Yang crossed her arms, thinking. It had been so, so long since she had fought anyone other than Tai.

_Then again, if I’m going to be chasing Ruby, I’m going to need to be ready to face others. _

Bile rose up in the back of her throat, and she coughed, clearing it after a moment. A part of her didn’t want to say yes. She didn’t want to fight anyone other than Tai- after all, Tai was safe. Tai was there for her. Other people… weren’t.

Still, she balled up her fists and stood, plastering on an eager smile. “I’d love to.” With that, she followed them outside to the front yard, settled into her stance, and calmed herself down.

_I can do this. _Ruby’s face flashed into her mind. _I _have _to._

As it turned out, however, there was no cause for concern. Within minutes, she had disarmed Port, sending his axe flying into a tree trunk where the force embedded the blade into gnarled wood.

Tai groaned, “Don’t you _dare _send a weapon through my windows, young lady!”

Oobleck waved off her father’s concerns with a frantic hand. “That was incredible, Yang!” he cried, clapping excitedly. “You’ve improved, even from your sparring matches in class!”

Port stumbled to his feet, his rotund form struggling to regain its balance after her last blow. “And that arm of yours certainly packs a punch.”

Yang nodded, flexing her bionic fingers. The joints moved seamlessly to her will- too smoothly. There were no popping joints, no sensations, no soreness. It moved perfectly, and she could sense everything she touched, but…it lacked _feeling_. “It’s… a lot better than I expected it to be, to be honest,” she admitted anyways, rejoining Oobleck and Tai as they stood by the flowerbeds.

Oobleck’s brows furrowed, his smile softening a little. “It’s… strange, I presume. Having it back.”

She nodded. “I mean, it’s… it’s not _exactly _the same as before. But it gets the job done.”

“Well,” the man murmured fondly, “I’m proud to see that you’ve taken the step. It wasn’t easy.”

Tai stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. His face was drawn tight after seeing how easily she dispatched Port, but she could detect the resigned pride under it all. “Yeah, but you did it. Just like I knew you would.”

She elbowed him lightly, but her chuckles were honest nonetheless.

Before the two Huntsmen left that evening, Oobleck gave back his final piece of feedback.

“It’s just so… _shiny,”_ he murmured offhandedly. “You can tell it’s Atlesian. It would suit Miss Schnee much better, were she in your shoes.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Yang asked, propping her hands on her hips.

The man shrugged. “I feel like you should just have something more vibrant, Yang. It’s who you are, right?”

That comment lingered in her mind for days afterwards, until finally, at the end of the week, Yang found herself pulling out the very same cans of spray paint she had used over two years earlier to paint Bumblebee. It took her most of the afternoon, but by the end, she had perfectly painted both her arm and the remaining gauntlet of Ember Celica to match. Yellow and black.

It looked different, but not necessarily _bad. _Just… different.

The arm dried first, and she reattached it with little delay. She had something else she needed to take care of.

When her father finally confronted her in the tool shed as she stood in front of her motorcycle for the first time since the Fall, she wasn’t surprised at his answer when she asked if he would stop her.

What _did _shock her, though, was his reason. “I just wanted a better goodbye than a letter.”

Her throat seized, guilt almost tangible on her tongue- sour, bitter. _I’m sorry. _

“And, I also have a question for you.”

Apparently, her father was determined to knock her off balance that day. As she turned around, he asked, “Where are you going?”

And Tai laid out his terms.

Raven was on Anima. Qrow had told her weeks before where the woman’s camp had set up as of late, and it would be child’s play to find them. She would be able to have the reunion she had always dreamed of with her mother, and finally get the answers she had always wanted.

Ruby was heading to Mistral with Qrow. Ruby’s mission, alongside Jaune and Nora and Ren, was dangerous. Ruby needed help, but she also already had people who would always watch her back.

So… where was Yang going?

The thought of having to properly _choose _sent her reeling for a moment. She hadn’t even thought about hunting down Raven- she had been so focused all this time on getting stronger in order to protect Ruby again. And yet, here her father had just given her another path, and the matter of _choice _made her hesitate.

Would Raven even want to see her? She had thrown Yang away so easily for all this time. Was… was it even worth it?

And if she _did _go to see Raven, would that be considered betraying her father?

Amidst all of these fears, inspiration struck, and her face lit up. _Maybe… I can see them both._

A plan began formulating in the back of her mind. She recalled something her father had said days earlier, a small detail- and that detail would be enough to get her exactly where she needed to go. After a few moments of strategizing, she finally made her decision.

“I have,” she said, nodding determinedly.

Tai asked no questions. Instead, he simply walked back to the house, leaving her behind with her motorcycle.

She bit her lip, but her drive didn’t waver as she heard the front door slam shut. Resolutely, she nodded to herself, then began working on checking Bumblebee’s engine.

_I’ll make you proud, Dad. Just wait and see. I’ll make the right choice._


	12. Chapter 12

The journey to Anima was a dull one.

The trip on the boat, travelling north around the continent of Sanus towards the central ports on Anima, was utterly uneventful. The only thing to ever note was the travel of Atlesian airships overhead, each one leaving her with the thought, _Is Weiss on one of those?, _floating idly in the back of her mind.

Even as they finally arrived at Anima days later, the skies clear and sunny, the air humid and stifling, Yang’s mind continued to wander. _Did Ruby take these roads? Is JNPR okay? Where’s Uncle Qrow?_

And as Bumblebee raced down the dirt roads through numerous forests, all she could do was pick up her Scroll every once in a while and attempt to call her sister, her friends, her uncle. But no one ever picked up. The CCTS was still down, and she was still alone.

While that fact didn’t bother her as much during the day, it was when night fell that she truly felt isolated again. Now, however, Tai wasn’t there to comfort her. Initially, spending nights away from her bedroom in Patch had terrified her- but over time, she had gotten used to being alone again.

Her heart never left Patch, though. So, whenever night fell and the nightmares ensued, she kept herself occupied by thinking of Tai, and Zwei, and her last few days in Patch.

She had driven Bumblebee into town after ensuring that the maintenance all checked out. She hadn’t said a word to her father of where she was going, unsure of what exactly to say- but when she came back, arms laden with new, more fitting clothes for the long journey, his eyes had been teary as he ushered her back inside for dinner. And, after eating more meatloaf than she thought was possible in order to assure him that she was indeed alright, she had been forced to put on everything she had bought to prove to him she was fit and able for the trip.

He had nodded only once, tight-lipped and stoic, seeing her in that outfit. That night, however, she heard his sniffling through his bedroom door, and the sound of his stifled cries broke her heart.

Still, she had a goal. So, after preparing everything over the course of the following day, she told her father she would finally be leaving Patch. He had asked her yet again where she was planning to go.

“I’ll bring Ruby home, don’t worry,” she replied.

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

She didn’t respond.

And then, the day of her departure had arrived.

Bumblebee was prepped and waiting for her by the toolshed, and her bags were packed. Ember Celica was on her wrist, and the maintenance kit that had been sent alongside her arm was stowed neatly away, just in case. Her new clothes were donned, her hair let loose, and for the first time in months, she slipped on her old, favourite sunglasses.

She felt almost… _normal _again.

“You’re leaving, huh.”

Without a word, she walked up to Tai and wrapped her arms around him in the tightest hug she could muster. “I love you, Dad,” she whispered after a moment. “Thank you so much.”

And just like that, Tai had broken.

His arms wrapped around her just as tightly, his entire body quaking. “Yang, you be safe, okay?” he whispered fervently into her hair. “You be safe. What-whatever you do, just make sure you’re okay, okay?” He pulled back, looking at her face fearfully. His chin trembled. “You have to be okay.”

“C’mon, Dad,” Yang chuckled, but she didn’t protest when he pulled her back into his arms. Ruefully, she murmured, “Don’t worry. I’m going to be just fine. You’ve prepared me for anything, remember?”

“But-“

“I’ll make it through. And I’ll make sure Ruby does, too.”

And with that, she pulled away, pressing a simple kiss to her father’s cheek before taking her place on Bumblebee. “I’ll be back.” _And we’ll be home, and you won’t have to worry anymore, I promise. _

_…Thank you for never leaving me behind._

She just wanted Tai to be happy. Never again should he have to suffer on her behalf.

The thought of Tai’s face breaking into a smile as she pushed Ruby through the front door of their cottage was all it took for her to fall asleep each night on the roads of Anima, despite the night terrors and loneliness. She was strong, thanks to his help. It would all be okay.

With that goal in mind, she pushed forward each day, driving further and further into the heart of the continent until she finally found a signpost at a fork in the path.

_Mistral, _the first one read, pointing to the right.

_Ruby’s going there. _Although Yang had already gotten to this point in just a few weeks, she had had the power of fewer numbers and her motorcycle on her side, plus the added bonus of encountering no Grimm yet. With the others travelling on foot, it was likely that they had only just recently arrived in Mistral- if they had even gotten there yet. There was no way of knowing.

_Just follow the plan, and we’ll be together again._

After so much time away from her baby sister, the thought that she could actually be so close was both invigorating and terrifying.

The bottom sign, in contrast, was illegible- whatever had been originally written there had been crossed out with a knife multiple times, and then written over with red paint. _Bandits, _it now announced, pointing to the left_._

_Mom._

Before she could doubt herself, she closed her eyes, breathing in deep. She had already made her decision between the two, days earlier. There was no point in debating with herself once more. Her mind was made up.

Without wasting another second, she steeled herself and turned her bike to the left. She and Raven had some catching up to do.


	13. Chapter 13

It was by mere luck that she managed to find some of the Branwen Tribe’s bandits on the road. Fighting them off had been simple, but after the battle ended, she realized the truth of the matter: while fighting her father and Port and Oobleck had been fine, her body was still scared of fighting the unknown. Her left hand shook almost uncontrollably after the final bandit was knocked down, phantom pains lancing up her spine.

It made sense to be so fearful. The last time she had fought a stranger, she had lost her arm.

_Never again._

She had no time to lose another fight like that. She had a mission.

However, these bandits were her ticket to Raven. There was no point turning away this golden opportunity past the wooden gates of the camp. So, with a little gentle coaxing on her part, she eventually found herself standing in the center of the Branwen Tribe’s camp.

It… wasn’t what she had been expecting.

There were numerous bandits watching her every move as she strolled into the central clearing of the camp, followed closely by her guides. They all gripped their weapons tight, eyes piercing through her as she walked past them all. While their reactions made complete sense- she doubted that they often allowed visitors into their grounds- something about their scrutiny and obvious distrust left her feeling empty.

Perhaps she had expected a sense of kinship with these people? They did all follow her mother, after all. They must have shared the same vision and ideals as her- and hadn’t Tai said that Yang reminded him of Raven?

An uneasy pit began to grow and pulse in the center of her stomach as she took in their suspicious eyes peeking around every corner of the makeshift village. _I guess those visions and ideals are where we differed, then._

At the center of it all stood a large tent. And, after a few minutes of waiting on pomp and circumstance, from that tent emerged Raven Branwen in all her red-and-black glory, so reminiscent of her younger brother. The bandits all saluted momentarily upon seeing her, and she raised her chin proudly as she surveyed the crowd.

Yang’s focus lay elsewhere.

Her mother wore a Grimm mask. It covered her entire face, appearing from her tent like a demon in the darkness. Blood-red markings covered the white bone in demonic scripture, nearly glowing in the hazy twilight. And at the sight of it, of _her, _every single one of Yang’s internal warning bells began to _scream. _

_She wears a mask, just like Adam. She’s not your mother. She wears a mask like Adam. She’s not safe. She’s **like Adam. **_

Even when the woman removed the mask and began to speak, voice haughty and condescending and far too false for anyone to believe her, Yang’s heart didn’t stop hammering in her chest, her left hand trembling intensely.

She clutched her hands to her front, begging silently for the shaking to cease. She needed to be strong.

Yet, a part of her wanted to protest. A part of her still wanted to walk up to her mother, to ask her questions- to beg her of why she had left her little girl behind all those years ago. The child in Yang’s heart screamed and sobbed at the sight of the woman in front of her, desperate for answers.

Desperate for a mother.

But the warning bells were louder, and the unease in her stomach was only reinforced tenfold when her mother mocked her.

“You know that I searched for you,” Yang hissed in response. “I spent _years _looking for you.”

And the grandiose, callous answer her mother gave was enough to shut the little girl in her heart away. How could she have dismissed that statement so easily? Did she not realize just how much Raven’s disappearance had _destroyed _her, all her life? Did she not realize just how heartbreaking it was to see the aftermath of Team STRQ falling apart?

Did she not realize just how guilty Yang felt for having not been _enough _to stay in Patch?

If she did understand it all, she didn’t make any notice of it. Each word that slipped past her lips was more poisonous than the last.

Raven didn’t care about her. Raven just wanted to prove her might to her followers, and to use Yang if she could.

_This isn’t a reunion,_ the blonde realized slowly. _It’s a show._

Yang had had enough once the woman offered to host a meal for her. _Like hell I’ll eat with someone who left Dad and me behind_. “That's not why I am here,” Yang called, defiant and proud, straightening herself up tall.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. She didn’t care.

At her mother’s confusion, Yang repeated, “I'm not here for you.”

There was something sickeningly-satisfying in the flash of genuine discomfort that crossed Raven’s face at those words.

Yang continued loudly, “Ruby is somewhere in Mistral. She's with Qrow, and she's going to need my help. I just need you to take me to her.”

“And why would I do that?” Raven scoffed, still not following.

Placing her hands over her heart- and very, _very _intentionally placing her right hand on top, the bionic limb in full view of the woman- Yang replied, mockingly earnest, “Because we're family.”

Just like that, Raven’s falsely welcoming demeanor fell away. “I have to say, I'm disappointed. After all, you found me, didn't you? Why not take that drive and use it to find your little sister if she means that much to you?”

_Because I thought hard about this plan, and you’re going to make it work. _“Because you're going to save me time. Ruby was heading to Mistral, but there's no guarantee she's made it there. Looking for her in Anima could take ages. But... Dad told me how your Semblance works.”

Projecting her voice even louder, she explained Raven’s Semblance to the uncomfortable crowd of bandits which had gathered behind Yang. She had committed Tai’s explanation to heart, after all, that day when they washed dishes together.

The irony of her mother’s abilities was still almost too much to handle.

After she felt satisfied with her explanation, Yang reiterated, “So, make a portal to my uncle and sister, and I'll be on my way.” And with that, she leaned to the side, flashing her mother a confident smirk to show she wasn’t going anywhere until her demands were met.

Yang had thought that would be enough. She was wrong.

Rather than complying with her wishes, Raven’s reaction was unsettling, instead focusing on Qrow and Ozpin. Tearing those two down, the elder pleaded for Yang to not help them. The pit in Yang’s stomach only began to ache further with the discomfort. How was a dead professor and her uncle involved in anything bad?

And yet, when she voiced as such, Raven did nothing but turn her men on her and walk away yet again.

Yang wanted to vomit, watching that back retreated into the main tent once more. She didn’t want to give the crowd that satisfaction, though- so, she channeled all of her discomfort and her frustration into her fist, sending one of the bandits who tried to attack her flying.

And then, everything changed as one makeshift hut crumbled under his body’s impact, revealing a cage near the edge of camp… occupied by none other than Weiss Schnee.


	14. Chapter 14

It was all too much for her.

“Yang?” she saw the pale girl mouth soundlessly in shock.

“Weiss?” Yang breathed back. There was no way this was happening. Why would Weiss be in her mother’s bandit camp? Why wasn’t she in Atlas?

Before Yang knew it, a giant, Aura-laced suit of armour was standing behind her, with a mud-stained, scraggly Weiss by her side. She had no idea what was going on- how could this be happening?

“Don't worry about it,” Weiss chastised. “What are you doing here?”

_How to even explain- _“Well, that's my mom and she can take us to Ruby,” she muttered at last.

“Your mom _kidnapped_ me?!”

Yang’s eyes bugged out of her head as she glared at Raven in disbelief. “You _kidnapped_ her?!”

Before the ensuing conflict between the duo and the bandits could even begin, a bolt of lightning struck the ground between the two sides, startling them all into stillness. A woman’s cry echoed through the camp, silencing the crowd in its wake. Yang turned around to face Raven once more, finally catching sight of the woman who had called for silence.

This newcomer could have been around Yang’s age. She turned to look up at Raven, and the two exchanged warm, appreciative looks.

The knot in Yang’s stomach rose halfway up her throat, seeing how familiar they were with one another. Yang knew that look- it was so similar to how Tai looked at her.

_…was she why you left, Mom? Did… did she replace me?_

The thought made her want to gag.

But why did it matter to her? It was clear that she wanted nothing to do with Raven, and Raven, her. There was no point feeling jealous over this stranger whose relationship with Raven was stronger. There wasn’t any point.

And yet, the pit in her stomach pulsed and ached, because _gods, _the child in her heart couldn’t be silenced. Was it so wrong to just want the person she had always dreamed of back in her life?

Her focus on this newcomer snapped back to Raven as she ordered Yang and Weiss into her tent, disappearing behind the opening flap once more as the rest of the bandits reluctantly dispersed. In only a few moments, Weiss and Yang were alone in front of the large tent, accompanied only by the ghostly suit of armour hovering protectively behind them.

They were both silent for a moment, and Yang wanted to _scream _all of her questions into the universe. What was even happening anymore? All she had wanted by coming to the Branwen Tribe was to find an efficient way to finding Ruby somewhere in Anima. How had it all become upended so quickly?

And how had Weiss gotten involved?

_Something’s gone wrong in all this. _She attempted, “Sorry about-“

Before she could even finish her thought, however, Weiss’ arms wrapped around her neck, the shorter girl clutching her desperately. Against her shoulder, Weiss breathed, “I missed you _so_ much.”

And the weakness in her voice almost brought Yang to her knees, her eyes widening and heart racing. Weiss… meant it. Weiss had been lonely, her voice thick with longing and anguish and regret and relief. Weiss _meant it. _

Yang hadn’t been the only one.

She finally raised her hands to return the hug, holding Weiss’ head against her shoulder, clutching one of her closest friends, her teammates, against her heart. “I’ve missed you, too,” she replied, unable to stop the tremors in her voice.

There were no words to describe how it felt to have Weiss in her arms again. It almost felt like they were back at Beacon- like Team RWBY had never fallen apart- like everything was still okay.

But when she heard a throat clear from the tent, lifting her head only to see Raven’s right-hand woman gesturing for them to hurry and come inside, reality came crashing down. Yang released Weiss, shifting to face the woman, clenching her fists as she glared her down. “Who are you?” Yang called.

“The name’s Vernal.” The woman grinned, feral. “What’s it to you?”

“Who- who are you? To Raven?”

Her left hand trembled, and trembled, and _trembled-_

And Vernal noticed. Her smirk only grew. “What you could never be. Now hurry up. The tea’s growing cold.” With that, she turned on her heel and returned to the tent.

Yang continued glaring at the spot that Vernal had occupied. What did that mean? Who was Vernal, really?

Her hand only stilled when she felt dainty, slender fingers grab onto hers worriedly. “Yang, what’s going on?” Weiss pleaded, grabbing her attention once more. “Why are you here? What’s this about Ruby?”

Keeping her eyes locked onto the tent, Yang gave her a brief summary of her plan and of Raven’s Semblance, of JNPR and Ruby’s mission, and of Qrow’s promise to her to protect Ruby. She told her of Ruby’s radio silence, and her lack of letters, and her fears.

She didn’t say a word about how Ruby had left her behind, though.

And as Yang sighed at the end of it all, turning to face the pale girl once again, Yang could only watch as Weiss’ eyes widen in shock as her painted arm finally came back into view.

With a delicate, nervous touch, Weiss reached out, tracing her fingers against the prosthetic. Yang’s heart sank when Weiss’ eyes filled with tears, lip trembling as she took in the sight of Yang- proud, strong, with both arms again. “You… you’re using a prosthetic,” Weiss murmured, not meeting her gaze.

Yang offered her a closer look, holding her arm up. “Thanks to General Ironwood. He sent it to me.”

And then, her heart surged with warmth, all her despair and confusion replaced by gratitude. All of her regret and longing for her mother’s affection, for the figure that Yang had spent her whole life dreaming about, vanished in just a few moments.

All it took was Weiss holding onto her bionic hand with both of her own, whispering, “This… must have been so hard. I’m sorry… I’m sorry I couldn’t stay, Yang. I wanted to, but my father… I’m sorry.”

_…I’m not alone. I don’t need Raven._

With a gentle touch, she wiped away the tears that had begun to fall involuntarily from Weiss’ eyes. “It was,” she said quietly. “It… _is _hard. But… it was hard for you too, huh?”

Weiss huffed and rolled her eyes, snapping back into her usual icy, practical demeanor. “Ugh, you have _no _idea,” she groaned. “My father is a complete-“ Realizing her sudden outburst, however, the girl’s face softened into a wry smile. “But… enough about me. We’ve got time for catching up later.”

“Let’s head in, then?” Yang asked, pointing to the tent with her thumb over her shoulder. “Mom’s probably getting angsty waiting for us.”

Weiss snorted, picking up her blade and walking by Yang’s side towards the tent. “She looks like the brooding type, ugh. Whatever- let’s go save Ruby from whatever nonsense she’s pulled this time.”

And Yang laughed aloud, feeling lighter than she had in weeks. Weiss walked automatically in step with her, and their conversation was easy and bright, despite all of the trauma and tragedy. Weiss hadn’t changed. Weiss still loved her, just as she loved Weiss still. They’d be teammates forever.

_But she left-_

But that didn’t mean that love wasn’t there. They could work through their issues later- but for now, Raven was waiting.

Her hand shook at the thought. Weiss’ hand was in hers almost immediately, a knowing smile on her face as they entered the tent- and for that, Yang could never be more grateful.


	15. Chapter 15

The tent was the antithesis of everything with which she had surrounded herself since her injury.

Everything was _red. _The walls, the furniture, the shelves and cushions and the very tint in the wood- all just _red. _And for everything that wasn’t, the fire from the lamps and torches and candles around the spacious area was enough to cast the room in fiery hues, and Yang wanted to _run. _

But Weiss held onto her, and she stayed.

The words that fell out of her mother’s mouth, however, only intensified that emotion.

Everything Raven said made her almost regret coming to Anima. She hadn’t suffered for this long to hear something like this. How was she supposed to believe something so fantastical? The Grimm had a leader who was unstoppable? Professor Ozpin and Qrow and Tai had all lied to her?! About what?! What could they have possibly lied about, other than having hid the fact that her mother had clearly _lost her mind?_

“Why should we believe any of this?” she cried, standing up, unable to contain her frustration and anger while seated by the low table at the center of the room.

Instead of responding earnestly, however, Raven simply continued to mock her, speaking so monotonously and so smoothly that Yang wanted to recoil as each word entered her skull, permeating like poison.

_Don’t take me for an idiot, Mom. _

She wanted to lash out, but she couldn’t. She still needed Raven’s cooperation. _Just send me to Ruby._

But then, Raven destroyed what little calm still remained in her heart. Airily, with no remorse whatsoever, the elder woman added, “Otherwise you'll end up just as blind as Qrow...”

The tremors weren’t from fear any longer. She clenched her fists so hard they shook, biting back every urge that raged through her body to strike Raven down. _Don’t you dare talk about my uncle like that. He’s everything you’ll never be-_

“... and your fool of a father.”

Raven smirked.

_How **dare **you!_

Before she could contain herself, she had shattered the low, mahogany table, sending teacups and shards of wood flying across the room. Ember Celica burned on her wrist, her entire body shaking and seething in rage, her Aura flooding her body head to toe with power and strength and _anger_. “Don’t you _dare _talk about my family like that!”

She didn’t even register the words Vernal offered behind her. All she knew was her fury, her bottomless fury- until Weiss grabbed her hand yet again, anchoring her for just a moment as she pleaded, “Yang, please.”

Her mother snorted. “Listen to your friend, Yang. Your teammates never let you down before.”

She couldn’t stop herself, ripping her hand out of Weiss’. “You don't know the first thing about my teammates!” she screamed, stepping forward with each word accusingly. “About me! You were never there! You _left us_!”

_You left _me.

Everyone had. Her mother didn’t know anything about her teammates. After all, they had all left her behind, too.

_But Weiss, and Ruby- they’re going to be back soon. They’re going to be with me again. _

But… Blake wasn’t.

The thought of Blake almost made her weep. _Blake took a page out of your book, Mom. Will she waltz back into my life and pretend like she did nothing wrong, too?_

She pushed thoughts of Blake out of her mind. That was a problem she needed to handle later- not now. Not here.

Her mother watched her impassively.

_You left me. _…_All I ever wanted was you. _

Her Aura drained away, pulling back into her core. Her skin cooled, fury quelled as sadness washed over her. “Why?”

Raven didn’t respond to any of her questions.

Yang wondered why she even bothered to ask them. It wasn’t as if Raven had any reason to respond.

To Raven, all that mattered was slandering Professor Ozpin and Qrow and, by affiliation, her father, apparently. All Raven wanted was to show Yang just how ‘terrible’ the people she loved and respected and followed really were.

In a moment of quietude as Raven exited out the back of the tent, beckoning them to follow, Weiss murmured, “Yang, are you okay?”

_Am I? Am I okay?_

Her heart ached too much to be able to assess anything. She just didn’t know. “I'll be fine once we can get her to take us to Ruby,” she replied through gritted teeth.

_Just think of Ruby. We’re here for Ruby._

All Raven had done thus far was belittle her with her tone and mock the people she loved. Nothing she had said could be true, after all- magic wasn’t real, and there was absolutely no way for just one person to be responsible for all the Grimm in the world. It just didn’t make sense.

Maybe that was why it hurt all the more when they stepped out of the tent, and Raven was nowhere to be found. A bird, a raven with dark red eyes, swooped low to fly past them.

“A raven?” Weiss murmured, confused.

Yang’s heart thudded all the way up to her throat, and she swallowed dryly, suddenly regretting not drinking any tea in the tent. “I’ve… seen that bird before,” she whispered. Weiss replied, but Yang didn’t hear it- her eyes were simply focused on the avian form which flew through the trees, gracefully dodging branches and swerving past thick trunks until it had looped around, flying straight towards them.

She knew this bird. This bird had sat by her window, staring at her as she slept, woke up, slept, woke up- locked in the sleepless, nightmarish cycle that was life after the Fall. She recognized this bird, and that recognition made her want to hide.

Before her very eyes, the bird suddenly morphed and twisted and shapeshifted, and in a blink of an eye, Raven had landed on the ground where the bird had aimed to land.

“How... did you do that?”

Raven didn’t answer. Yang wasn’t surprised. Instead, the only thing in her mind was one single statement.

_You were always watching me, and you knew everything I was going through, and you still did _nothing.

She couldn’t tell if it was deep-seeded, crushing anger that bubbled up in her chest… or absolute, gut-wrenching heartbreak.

It didn’t matter. This wasn’t the place for her.

“Well, I could explain it to you...” and suddenly, Raven drew her blade, slashing the air behind her. The tip of her sword left a trail of Aura behind it, until suddenly, the very air itself split open, leaving behind a swirling portal, the colour of congealing blood permeating in the air. “... or you could ask your uncle.”

_Wait… that’s the portal. _

_That’s the way to Ruby._

_I can finally reach Ruby._

_Dad, I can-_

“You're letting us go?” she breathed.

As she sheathed her sword, Raven paused, finally offering, “I’m giving you a choice. Stay here, with me, and I'll answer all your questions and more. We can have a fresh start.”

Her face was almost… hopeful, and that little part of Yang’s heart soared, begging to say yes.

_You’ll finally have a mother!_

And then, Tai and Ruby flashed into her mind, and instantly, Yang’s anger swelled within her chest once again. This woman had left her family behind, leaving them to fend for themselves and pick up the pieces again and again and again. This woman had put herself, and whatever opinions she had of others, ahead of the people who loved and needed her.

Yang had always wanted a mother.

Summer popped into her mind. _It was just for a little while, but… I guess that will have to be enough. _The child in her heart wailed in agony, but her decision was firm. _Memories of making cookies together and taking care of Ruby… will have to be enough._

Raven recognized her choice. Stepping away from the portal, she said, “Or, you can go back to Qrow and join Ozpin's impossible war against Salem, and meet the same fate as so many others. But can you really go back to trusting someone that's kept so much from you?”

_I’d rather have Ruby. _Her lip wobbled. _I’d rather have Dad. _“All I care about is making sure my sister is safe,” she hissed, turning on her heel.

It didn’t take long to bring Bumblebee up behind the tent to where Raven awaited them with her portal. Lining up her bike, Yang let out a weary sigh as Weiss settled in behind her. _I’m so close. I’m almost there._

“Yang,” Raven called, catching her attention one last time.

Yang glanced over her shoulder, watching the woman suspiciously.

“If you side with your uncle, I may not be as kind the next time we meet.”

Yang couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry. Finally, she managed to control her voice. “You weren't kind this time either.”

If Weiss felt the way her shoulders shook and her voice quavered in her chest as she said it, driving into the portal without a second glance backwards, she said nothing of it.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OST: _Home_ from the Vol. 4 OST
> 
> Yang comes home.

Traveling through the portal took longer than she would have thought.

It was an odd feeling, being encompassed by so much darkness, so much pure Aura. Yang kept her eyes closed for most of it, though- the writhing walls and the shifting floor and the _red _still made her sick to her stomach, heart racing in her ribcage painfully. The faster she escaped this place, the better.

_But Ruby’s almost with me. _

Instead, during that time, she thought of a lot of things.

Raven hadn’t been who she had dreamed her to be. While she had had no false images of her mother- talking to her father and uncle about what sort of woman Raven was had been enough to destroy any illusions of warmth she could have expected from her mother- it still hurt to see how callous and calculating the woman had been to her own daughter.

Vernal, though, had somehow managed to win Raven’s affection. Yang didn’t know how the other young woman had done it, but it had been clear- in every small movement, in the way Vernal always knew what Raven needed, and in how just a little gratitude from Raven spoke volumes to the younger- Vernal had found a mother in Raven, and no matter what Raven had promised, there had been no new start to be found with her. Vernal already occupied whatever space may have been there.

Was… was Qrow really able to turn into a bird, too? And had it really been Ozpin who had given them those powers? It seemed too fantastical to be real. Magic didn’t exist, after all. Yet, she had watched her mother turn into a bird and back before her very eyes, so maybe… maybe Salem, the ruler of the Grimm, existed, too.

And if that was the case, then what were they all fighting for?

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. There were far too many questions in her mind, too many to ponder alone. There was no point suffering over it until she could get the truth from _someone. _

But the truth would have to come second. First, she needed Ruby, and she needed to keep her safe. And then, after whatever they had to do was done, they’d come home. That was her goal. The truth could come later.

Amidst all of these thoughts, the end of the portal came upon them unexpectedly. Bumblebee rumbled out of the portal, the red maw zipping shut behind the bike as they finally rolled out onto a cobblestone courtyard, the sun almost blinding in the twilight glow.

The look on Qrow’s face upon seeing the girls was something marvelous, though.

And when her uncle saw the prosthetic on her arm, he reached up and cupped her cheek with one ringed hand, looking prouder than she had ever seen him. In his eyes was a sea of understanding and empathy, his gaze flicking back every once in a while to where the portal had been. He knew what she had done. He knew who she had visited.

And he knew her choice.

“You did good, kiddo.”

She grinned. No matter how betrayed she had felt when he had left with Ruby, she couldn’t deny it- it felt good to see him again. “And how about you?”

He shrugged. “Wanna see?”

Weiss bumped her shoulder into Yang’s, smiling warmly. Yang tried to smile back, but the confusion from the jumbled thoughts in her heart lingered on. How could it not?

But when Qrow led them into a small house, the smell of a warm meal wafting through the air, the sounds of familiar laughter echoing from the kitchen… and when Ruby walked towards them, a tray of teacups in her hand and a smile on her face, all of that confusion disappeared.

This is where she was meant to be.

Her little sister’s face crumbled as she saw Yang, though, and guilt rushed over Yang yet again, the memories of how their relationship had been strained over the first months after the Fall coating her tongue with bitterness and regret.

_I have to say it. _

Ruby gasped, stuttering and stumbling, tiny voice cracking in fear and heartbreak and shock as she cried, “Yang, I... I'm so sorry! I- I should've stayed, and I should've talked to you more! I'd- I just...” Tears began to pour unabashedly from her eyes, wide and silvery and naïve. In an absolutely heart-wrenching moment, Yang watched as her sister gathered up her skirt material in one hand, gripping onto the neck of her cloak in the other.

_She’s trying to hide the colour, _Yang realized dimly.

In a tiny voice, Ruby added, “I wasn't sure if you wanted me around, and-“

That was enough.

_I have to say it. _If she didn’t say it now, then everything she had worked so hard to rebuild would have been for naught.

With long strides, she crossed the room, tugging the younger girl into her arms. Holding her tight against her shoulder, Yang finally said the words she had wanted to say all those months ago, tears beginning to fall from her own eyes.

_“I love you.”_

Ruby’s sob tore through her soul, the shorter girl collapsing in her arms. “I love you too,” she wept, clutching onto Yang with all the force she could muster.

Yang felt herself melt, the tears suddenly overtaking her, throat constricting. Ruby’s grip tightened around her, and she returned the embrace with just as much strength- for if she let go, she, too, would collapse. In that one moment, all the tension, the anxiety, the isolation which had plagued her for months, was washed away.

_I said it. She knows how much I love her. She knows I’ll never let her go alone again._

That familiar warmth in her arms, the scent of cookies and roses, the _love _she could feel exuding from every pore- this was the safest place in the world for her. Yang didn’t need to dream of a make-believe family with Raven anymore. And yes, while there were still far too many wounds to count that still needed to heal, and while she’d struggle to trust anyone for a long, long time, she knew that she’d be able to move forward, no matter what. After all, Ruby was here, and she had always been the home that Yang wanted to protect.

And this time, she’d be there to stand by Ruby’s side.

_I’ll bring her home, Dad. Just you wait. We’ll do what we need to do, together, and then we’ll come back home to you. _

Her eyes teared up as she clutched onto her younger sister. It barely felt real, having Ruby in her arms once again. And yet, as Ruby’s tears soaked into her collar, and as they pulled Weiss into their arms as well, Yang knew that she finally wasn’t alone again.

Through the fabric of her pants, she could trace the outline of the photo Tai had given her pressing against her hip. She could picture her father’s face perfectly.

_I’ll bring us both home, _she swore to that image_. Back to you. Just wait for us._

She couldn’t wait for the day he welcomed them home again.

And then, her father wouldn’t have to be alone anymore- and as patchwork as it may be, their family would finally be whole again. If Yang had Tai and Ruby by her side, it would always be home.

** _-fin-_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And that’s that. It only took over two years after its conception to properly write it, but… hey, at least it’s finally done. I hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think of this little project of mine in the comments!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


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